WIREDGOV

If you’re a parent and receiving Child Benefit, you need to inform HM Revenue and Customs of your child’s educational status before 31 August.

If you are receiving Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits and your child is 16+, you need to update HM Revenue and Customs of your child’s educational status before 31 August, otherwise payment will stop.The reminder comes as many students across the country received their GCSE results yesterday.

You must contact HMRC to confirm the eligibility of your 16+ child if they are:

• continuing in full-time, non-advanced education
• moving into employment
• undertaking approved training

If a young person leaves full-time education or training, for example, to start full-time work or because their course has ended, parents must report this change straight away to prevent an overpayment, which they will have to pay back.

Nick Lodge, Director General of Benefits and Credits, said:

This is an exciting time for teenagers and their families as they decide which path they want to choose next. But it’s important that customers let us know what education their son or daughter is undertaking after they turn 16 so that we can ensure they receive the correct benefits.

This can be done simply and quickly using the Personal Tax Account which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That means that parents can let us know their child’s education status at a time that suits them ahead of 31 August.

You can use the Personal Tax Account (PTA) service to update both their Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit information online in minutes.